Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-03-09
FOX HUNTING.
: ketch Of an Adventure With the
York and Ainsty.

November has often been termed the
melancholy month because its chief
characteristics are, as rule, fogs, cold
winds. and yapors. dreariness and desc
lation-all of which are apt to produce
i'll the huntsman n feeling of ennui.
Addison perhaps, had this month in his
mind when, in one of his essays, after
mentioning that melancholy was kind
OF demon that hauntS our island, he
went on to say that she melancholy
often conveyed herself to us in an east
erly wind. A celebrated French novel;
ist seems TO have had some knowledge
of an English November when he COM
menceG one of his stories in the follow
ing manner: ''In the gloomy month of
November, when the people of England
hang and drown themselves, Il disconso-
late lover walked out into the fields, !"
etc. One of the names our Saxon ances-
tors had for November was wind
monath, or wind month, which, as a
general rule, isa most appropriate term,
for then it is that
November chill blaws loud with angry sugh,
and November is usually the time when
the huntsman rs we'll as the tIdyeier
listens with dismay to
The mighty roar
That rushes through the forest hoar
When winds are piping loud.
As 4 rule in this month it is only
huntsmen with the strongest of consti-
tutiOEs and those who are bold and have
a passion for the sport that venture to
join in the hue and cry after Master
Reynard. Tie weaker ones are generally
not averse 10 following out the prescrip-
tion OF Philips, who, it is related, knew
not prescription better calculated to
diSoerSs the ennui of November than an
interesting author and a flowing bowl.
There are days, however, i'll November,
which are bright and sunShiny, when
the rustic landscapes may he seen IN all
their beauty, and when the skylark
aScends skyward, singing its sweet lula
bies until lost TO view. We lave had a
good many such days during November,
and one of those days was that when
the popular pack of the broad acred
shire held a special meet at the rural,
half-town, half-yi!lass OF Borough
bridge, which can boast of SO many his
torical recollections. Whatever weather
blows, this is always 4 popular meeting
place, for il is in the heart OF q district
thick with sp0rtSmer of All grades, from
the aristocratic to the democratic, and
where more than one sample OF the fine
old Englishman is TO be met with. On
the morning of that day old Sol broke
out over the distant hills steadily but
truly in good time, and soon scattered
in all directions the thick mist which
fOolishly attempted to intercept his
path. Very soon lie was Tobed III sum-
mer array, and the fine landscapes and
views over wide radius looked unuSu-
ally bright, and nature was seen in all
It's jOyOusness. Old Sol shone out bril-
lian,ly the rest OF the dly in such sple :
dor, the SKY was so Clear, and the air
was so fine and dry, that had it not
been that the fresh green leaves OF sum
mer were seen to have changed into
that yellow and rU-Set brown peculiar TO
the end of autumn. and came ever AMI
anon tumbhng down from their high
abode, strewins the rural walks and
ways around with every pIssing breeze,
the huntsman might have fancied IT
was the middle of summer rather than
the dreary month of November.
The rendezvous selected was Bor-
hall. the residence of Mr.. J.
c. Wilmot Smith, one of the hardest
and keenest huntsmen and sportsInen
to be found ii Yorkshire, fair weather
or foul. The venerable mansion Is OF
the Elizabethan age. AMI is situated no,
more than 4 stones throw from the
River IRE, Just where that liver is john
eI by the small tributary called tie Tut.
in wilch there is some good trout-iisl!-
ing in season. Tno situation Of the
is low, and it is sheltered and
half obscured
Amid its tall ancestral trees
The dense thicae. of trees and foliage
around give ita somewhat secluded and
herlnitical appearance, which, however,
does not interfere with the geniality aud
hospitality of those living within its
walls. The meet WAS announced TO take
place at IL O'Clock, and long before that
time the entrance to the hall grounds,
which leads out of the old Market
square, was thrown open, and as the
yotaries of the sport appeared they were
warmly and kindly greeted by Mr.. aad
Mrs. Wilmot-SmiIh. The genial mas
ter of the hunt-Mr. Lycett Green
with his huntsman, ellison, his subal-
terms. with the hounds, were on the spot
as usual in good time, for be it known
that the York and AinSty is considered
fncile princspS about the most punctual
pack in Yorkshire. As IL O'Clock drew
near the scene in the Market square
was one which will not be soon forgot
ten by those who witnessed it. 1t was
really and truly a thorough specimen Of
a Yorkshire and English meet, scene
which can only be witnessed in this
tight little island of ours, for it is
scene which is never equaled in foreign
lands. however e people there may try
and initiate il. The crowd in and
around the square included all sorts and
of men, women and chill
dren. Members OF the hunt donned in
scarlet, were there in goodly numbers,
mounted on all kinds Of steedS; Others,
who were unable or unwilling to follow
hounds across the country, took to We
hicles which were in great variety,
Willie many JTuSttu lilciioel'eS " litil
everyday mode of conveyance, yclept
the shoemaker's galloway. Those
mounted included members of the local
and other nobility, tradeSmen, farmers
sons, sc ,ond-hand snob,. and butcher
BOYS. etc, The crowd on foot was COM
posed of ladies fond of the sport, like
most Englishwomen, but unable 10 fol-
low by other means; tradesmen and
tradesmen's wives, who left the counter
or the workroom to enjoy the sunshine
and to view the scene; workmcn who
had thrown down their tools for the
nonce; and large number of school
children, who were allowed to leave
their mornings lessons earlier than
usu1l. These later, as was only natural,
we're in a trulyjoyful mood, and seemed
eager for the fray, and it need scarcely
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